Ohio State football: Who will start at RB in 2021?

The Ohio State football team loses a lot of starters from the 2020 team. They may even have a new starter at the running back position in 2021.

The Ohio State football program had a great 2020 season, especially on the offensive side of the ball. The running game really hit its stride in the last three games leading up to the National Championship. Trey Sermon in particular was spectacular in those contests.

Sermon was the starter and clearly the main back in those games. He was a graduate transfer though and his college career is over. With that being the case, who takes over as the new starter at the running back position?

Master Teague was the main man for most of the season and did fairly well. In 7 games this season, Teague had 514 yards and 8 touchdowns, averaging 4.9 yards a carry. Teague saw less time on the field once Sermon started to catch fire though, and also was coming off an injury.

Teague comes back next season and looks to still be a large part of the running game. He should be fully healthy at the start of 2021, which was not the case when this season started. Having so much experience might give him the edge for the starting role.

Miyan Williams showed some burst in the Big Ten Championship Game. He was just a freshman and could have a bright future. He only got 10 carries this season because of Sermon and Teague splitting the bulk of the carries. Williams has a shot to compete for the starting job.

Perhaps the biggest wildcard in this competition is incoming freshman TreyVeon Henderson. Henderson is a five-star recruit and is ranked as the number one running back in the class of 2021. He had his high school senior season canceled because of the pandemic and has enrolled early.

Henderson has the build of a really good back. He has the potential to be an all-time guy with his talent. In my view, he could be the starter day one. He still has to earn it by his play in spring practice and the Spring Game, assuming Ohio State has either one of those in 2021.

What about Sermon? Could he keep his job? His shoulder injury in the National Title makes his future in the NFL next season a little murky. Had he had another big game there, he could have been a second-round pick. Now he may fall into the sixth or seventh round.

2020 is a free year. Sermon could opt to return to the Ohio State football program and keep his starting spot. He could try to show the NFL that he can stay healthy and produce when he is. It’s not a likely scenario, but not an impossible one.

Monday is the last day players can declare for the 2021 Draft, so we will find out about Sermon then. As for the rest of the guys, we’ll have to see how they do come Spring.